ROUTINE: A MIXED BAG

1 Corinthians 14:40

    But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

                Routine is a double-edged sword, a blessing and a curse. Our lives are managed by routine far more than we realize. Without routine our lives would descend into chaos or immobility. Think about all of the decisions that you do not have to make each day because of your routine. Routine brings order to our lives, but it can also drain the vitality out of our lives.

                Wherever we look in our world we see routine. Routinely the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Routinely we progress through the seasons of the year, each coming in the same order. Routinely the earth revolves in its daily and yearly cycle. Routinely the grass (and the weeds) grow. Routinely birds make their nests and have young. Routinely migratory birds make their way to the right place at the appropriate time. Our world is filled with routine. So is our life.

                Routine is a blessing in so many ways. Routine frees us from making mundane decisions on a daily basis. Without thinking about it, I follow the same routine every morning as I prepare for my day. My week is ordered by a basic routine that places me where I need to be when I need to be there. Much of the routine of my day is under my control, although not all of it. I have established a basic routine that guides me through my week. Each day that I am in my office I begin with a time of prayer and devotions. I reserve the rest of my morning for study and creative work. After lunch, I engage in meeting with people and working on projects that take less creative thinking. As I go through my week, my routine leads me to a culmination on Sunday morning. Although each day is not filled with the same activities, each day follows a similar pattern, a familiar routine.

                Routine frees our minds to focus on things of greater significance. Routine creates a rhythm to our life, like the underlying theme in a piece of music that is not always evident, but holds the piece together. Routine can smooth the choppy waters of daily life.

                Routine also has a dark side. Unexamined routine can dull our senses and drain us of vitality. The sameness of routine has a way of placing us on a treadmill that continues to move, but with little or no purpose. We can be so caught up in our routine that we mindlessly go through our day without ever thoughtfully examining what we are doing. I have become aware lately of how easy it is to fall into the routine of sitting in from of the TV for several hours after dinner. If we are not careful, routine can lead us into an unproductive, unexamined life.

                Routine that is never altered can also drain us of our energy. For many people, the routine of their lives is slowly killing them. They feel trapped with no exit in sight. Their senses have been so dulled by routine that they are no longer living life, they are just enduring life. Many have given up hope of breaking free. Others have rebelled against routine in destructive ways.

                Like most things in life, routine can either be a tool that enhances our lives or a burden that imprisons us. The question that we all have to ask on a regular basis is, are we in control of our routine or is our routine in control of us?

                Jesus regularly challenged the established routine of the Pharisees. God had established a system of worship that was intended to enrich people and draw them closer to Him. The Pharisees had taken that system and turned it into a heavy burden that weighed people down and crushed their spirit. In Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees, recorded in Luke 11, Jesus specifically addressed their abuse of the people. Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. (Luke 11:46)

                One of the heaviest burdens that was laid on the people was the many requirements attached to the Sabbath. What God intended to be a day of rest and freedom became a day of stress and confinement. Again, Jesus challenged how the Pharisees had taken what God had established and turned it on its head. Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)

                Jesus was not against routine. He was against routine becoming a person’s master. Jesus had his own routine. He routinely got up early in the morning to be alone and pray. He routinely taught in the synagogues in Galilee. Jesus routinely responded to the needs of the people, both by teaching them and healing their diseases. In all of this, Jesus was always in control of his routine. When something unexpected came up, he was free to vary from his routine. He was not flustered by interruptions or a change in plans. He was always flexible, able to adjust to what was needed at the time.

                None of us can live routine-less lives. Our human nature always nudges us toward routine. The thing we need to do is to be intentional about our routine. When our routine starts to become a burden, we need the freedom to alter our routine. It is good, from time to time, to take a break from our routine. On a regular basis, we should examine our routine to see if it is still moving us in a positive direction. Above all, routine should always be our servant, never our master.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.